Surface-contact electric railway



No. 750,966. PATENTED FEB. 2, 1904. J. H. GUEST.

SURFACE CONTACT ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, 1903. N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETSSHEBT 1.

"WITNESSES: INVENTOI? A TTOHNE Y5 C No 750,966. PATENTED FEB. 2, 1904.

J. H. GUEST. SURFACE CONTACT ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

I APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, 1908. I0 IODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E. K iw u I BY TNE NoRms PEYERS cu. wow-mun. msmunmn. n 4

PATENTED FEB. 2, 1904.

J. H. GUEST.

SURFACE CONTACT ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, 1903.

3 SHEETSSHBET 3.

110' MODEL.

JAY/K INVENTOH WITNESSES:

Patented February 2, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. GUEST, OF BROOKLYN, NEWV YORK.

SURFACE-CONTACT ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 750,966, dated February2, 1904. Application filed February 26, 1903. $eria1IIo, 145,198. (Nomodel.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. GUEST, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Surface Contact ElectricRailways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the construction of electric switches employedin those systems of electric propulsion wherein power is supplied to avehicle over sectional rails, buttons, or conductors which are normallydead, but are energized in turn as the ear or vehicle passes over them.

My invention relates more particularly to those systems wherein eachswitch is subjected to the action of two coils, one of which is aninitially-acting coil and places the switch in a position to close thepower-circuit through another coil which carries the heavy power-currentor a portion thereof and keeps the switch in closed position until thecar leaves the section. In this class of apparatus the initiallyactingcoil is usually connected. to the circuits in such manner as to besubjected to practically the whole potential of the power-current,either for the purpose of initially actuating the switch or as anecessary incident to the organization after the switch has been closed.Hence it is necessary to make the circuit of said initially-acting coilof very high resistance, which is usually done by winding such coil offine wire with a large number of turns. Previous constructions of thisclass of apparatus are also frequently subject to the objection that byshort-cireuiting some of the conductors or rails on the permanent waythe switch will be operated and the section of power-circuit renderedalive, with consequent possibility of destruction to life or property.

The object of my invention is mainly to over come both of the aboveobjections, making it possible to use a comparatively coarse coil forthe initial coil and at the same time to avoid the danger of accidentaloperation of the switch.

To these ends my invention consists, essentially, inemploying two linesof insulated section of conductor, which may be either buttons or rails,and in using one both as a powercircuit conductor and as a meansoperating in conjunction with the other rail or section of rail orconductor to complete the circuit through the initially-acting coil froma suitable generator, such as a battery,whieh is independent of thepower-generator and which is preferably carried on the car, all ashereinafter more particularly described and then specified in theclaims.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction and thecombinations of apparatus, as hereinafter more particularly describedand then specified in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 1s a general vertical section of theeleetromagnet-switch, the

part of the power-circuit coil being shown in elevation. Fig. 2 is across-section through the switch on the line as :0, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is ageneral diagram of the circuits of the apparatus, showing the switchesfor two adjoining sections of rail, one in action and the other out ofaction.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the switch-electromagnet is a double-woundmagnet, one set of coils 20 of which are of heavy wire suitably securedbetween spool-heads 7 ,.as shown, and adapted to carry thepower-current. 30 indicates the initially-acting coils, which may belocated within the shell 8, as shown, or otherwise disposed and may beof any number of turns or gage of wire adapted to the comparatively lowpotential of a local source independent of the power-current. The twosets of coils are adapted to operate upon the core 9, so as to raise thesame first by the action of the set of coils 30, which raise the coresufliciently to complete the power-circuit through the exterior coils,after which the switch is held in position to keep said con nectioncompleted until the car passes off the section of rails temporarilyenergized. Connected with the core 9 is a stem or red of aluminium orother non-magnetic material 10, and at the upper end thereof is mountedthe contact-block 11, of copper or other good conductor, which isadapted when the rod is raised to engage between the beveled ends of twolaminated brushes 12 12, which are made of copper. \Vhen these twobrushes are bridged by the block 11, the power-circuit is completethrough the outer or heavy coil, as shown more clearly in the diagramFig. 3. The laminated brushes 12 are supported between the two heavyconducting-blocks of brass or other good conductor 13 13. One of theseblocks, 13, may be secured to and in direct electrical connection withthe brass spoolhead 7, and one terminal of the power-coil may be inelectrical connection with said spoolhead, and hence with the block 13and the laminated brush 12, which, together with its associate brush 12,is fastened between the blocks 13 13 and partially sustained in position by suitable insulating-pins. (Shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and2.) The other block 13 is secured to a piece of insulation fastened uponthe spool-head 7 and is provided with suitable binding-posts 14 forattachment of the wire or conductor, by which it may be joined to thesection of normally insulated sections of conductor 2, as shown in thediagram, from which the circuit continues in the usual manner by asuitable brush or collector to and through the power-controller 15 andthe motor 6 to the car wheels and axles and the rails 41, which form thereturn-circuit to the powergenerator 5. The usual feed-wire or conductor1 is connected to the opposite pole of said generator, and from saidfeed-wire the connections are taken to the opposite terminal of thepower-coil 20 for the electric switch, as also shown in the diagram, theother terminal being connected, as already described, to the block 13.Within the spool for the inner or initially-acting coil 30 is thecylinder 16, of iron, whose office is to strengthen the pull of thesolenoid-c0ils upon the core 9, and within the cylindrical spool uponwhich the powercoil 20 is wound is another iron cylinder 16, placed inposition to act upon the disk armature 17 which is carried by a brasssleeve 17 fastened to the rod 10. When the core 9 is raised by theaction of the solenoid 30, the disk armature 17 is brought intoproximity to the cylinder 16, and the circuit of the powercoil havingbeen closed at the leaf-springs 12 12 by the block or conductor 11 thesaid armature 17 will be strongly held up by the action of the cylinder16, and thus keep the conductor firmly engaged with the ends of thelaminated springs 12 12. owing to the beveling of the ends of thebrushes 12 12 and the inclination of the contact-faces of the block 11the latter will enter between the springs by a wedging and spreadingaction, and each leaf of the leaf-springs will be firmlyengagedindividually by the contactor 11, and each will carry its portionof the current.

The circuit for the initial coil or cylindercoil 30. is through thenormally closed switch adapted to be opened by the direct action of thecore 9 when raised by the operation of said initially-acting coil 30,thus breaking the cir- It will be seen that 7 cuit of the battery orindependent source of power used for securing this initial action, saidbattery-circuit remaining broken so long as the core 9 is held raised bythe action of the power-current flowing through the laminated brushes 1212 and contact-block 11. The switch 'or circuit breaker which thus opensthe circuit for said batteryis preferably mounted upon a block ofinsulation 19, supported upon the blocks 13 13 and carrying, as shown, acontact 21, normally engaged by the circuit-closing springs 22. Thesprings 22 extend across the plate 19 of insulation and over an openingtherein, through which they may be engaged by a rod 23, preferably ofinsulating material, which extends vertically from the rod 10 orcontact-piece 11, as shown, upward through a space in a separateinsulating-plate 25, located, as shown in Fig. 2, between the pair ofleaf-springs 12 12. The spring 22 being normally connected, as shown, tothe conductor 3 of the other line of sectional conductors, as shown inFig. 3, it will be obvious that normally or when the spring 22 is on thestop 21, as shown in the diagram, there will be a circuit through theinitially-acting coil from one to the other of the insulated conductors3 2 in the two lines of normally insulated sections of conductors, andso that by bridging said conductors in a suitable manner through asource of electric power the coil 30 will act on the switch and completethe connection already described for the power-current. For the purposeof making connection from the spring 22 to the conductor 3 a clampingdevice 29 may be provided to form the connection from the contact 21 toone end of the initially-acting coil. A suitable collector or trolley 61rides on the rail of conductor 3 and establish connection from one poleof the battery or generator 32, which is preferably carried on the carand has its other pole connected with the trolley or collector moving onthe sectional power-rail 2, so that when the car reaches a section ofrails 2 3 the circuit of said battery 32 through the coil 30 will beclosed, and the core 9 will be raised so as to establish thepower-circuit connection, as shown at the right of the diagram Fig. 3,and at the same time break the initially-energizing circuit containingthe battery 32 at the contact 21, as shown at the right of the figure.

The power-winding 20 is preferably constructed with two or more strandswound in parallel, and to further assist in carrying the heavy currentrequired for the motor 6 of the car I propose to provide a shunt aroundsaid power-coil, said shunt being adapted to carry a part of said heavypower-current, a portion of which only is required for energizing thecoil 20. Said shunt is indicated at 35 (diagram Fig. 3 and also inFig. 1) by a strip of fuse-wire, which may be clamped at one end to thebase of the block 13, as shown, and at the other to a suitable clamppost or connector 36, to which one end of the power-coil 20 isconnected. Said post 36 may serve as a means for attachment of theconductor which joins the coil to the feed-wire 1.

By preference the circuit of the battery is taken through a switch orcircuit breaker properly connected with the power-controller 15 in suchmanner that when said power-controller 15 is thrown to cut off the powerthe circuit of the battery 32 will also be automatically broken. By thismeans the vibratory action of the circuit-breaker spring 22, cooperatingwith contact 21, will be prevented in case the car should be brought torest on any section of the track; otherwise it is obvious that when thepower is cut off the coil 30, acting on the core 9 and on thecircuitbreaker 22, would produce avibratory action similar to that of anautomatic circuit-breaker, and there would be also a useless consumptionof the power of source 32. The means for thus breaking the circuit whenthe power is turned off may consist of a pair of contactplates 50 50,adapted to be bridged by circuitclosing plate 51, carried on aninsulating-arm of the power-controller 15, as clearly shown in thediagram. 1Vhen plate 50 is connected to the battery 32 and the otherplate 50 is connected to the trolley or collector moving on thesupplemental rail 2, the parts are so arranged that when the controller15 is moved sufficiently to cut oif the power the plate 51 will leavethe bars 50 50 and open the circuit; but when the controller is turnedto put on the power the circuit of the battery will be closed by theconnector 51 and will continue to be closed during the manipulation ofthe controller and while the connector 51 slides over the segments 5050.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: It will be understoodthat, as usual in the art, each insulated sectionof conductor 2 and 3 isprovided with its automatic switch constructed as already described andthat said sections may each be of any desired length. It will be alsounderstood that the collector wheels or shoes which ride on saidsections of rail are of suitable length to bridge the space between thesuccessive sections of rail 2 or 3 and that while I have shown railssaid conductor-sections might be buttons and the trolleys collectors orcontact-shoes be suitably lengthened to form a bridge from one to theother of two successive buttons, as well understood in the art. In thediagram Fig. 3 the switch at the left of the figure is shown in normalposition. That at the right is shown in action, and in conjunction withit the circuits upon the car are illustrated, the power-controller 15being in position to permit power-current to flow through the motor 6.In the switchat the left of the figure the normal circuit for theinitially-operating coil 30 is through the contact 21 and spring 22 ofthe circuit-breaker which is actuated by the core 9, and said circuit isnormally open between the two rails of contacts 2 and 3. It will beobserved that under these conditions no accidental short circuit of anyof the conductors shown in the system will produce an action of theswitch, since both terminals of the coil are in no way connected withthe power-circuit nor with any generator by which current could becaused to flow through it. Moreover, even if current were flowingthrough the power-coil 20 from the conductor to one of the lines ofsectional conductor there would be little difference of potential acrossthe terminals of the coil 30 from the powercurrent, as will be seen byan examination of the parts at the right of Fig. 3, since the circuit,if traced, would be from conductor 2, through the coil 30, to the otherrail 3, by collector 61, and back to that part of the powercircuit whichis joined to the motor 6. Hence it is not necessary to use a highresistance. The circuit of the power-coil 20 is open be tween theleaf-springs 12 12 and also at the contact rail or section 2. When thetrolleys or collectors 61 engage the sectional contacts 2 3, as shown atthe right of the figure, the initial controlling-circuit is completedand current flows from the battery or generator 32 to trolley or shoe61, rail or contact 3, spring 22, contact 21, coil 30, rail 2, andthence by the other trolley or collector to and through the bars 50 50and connector 51 to the opposite pole of said battery. "his charges themagnet and causes the core 9 to be lifted to position shown at the rightof the figure, thus completing the power-circuit by the path fromgenerator 5, feed-wire 1, through coil 20, circuit-closer 11,leaf-springs 12 12, to the lower contact-rail 2, through the collectoror trolley 61, and to and through the power-controller 15, and by way ofthe motor 6 and the car-wheels to the return rail or cond uctor 1 backto the battery. It will be observed that the instant this power-circuitis completed the initiallyoperating circuit which includes battery 32 isbroken at the contact 21 and that said initial controlling-circuit willremain broken while the car is taking current from the section, theswitch in the meantime remaining energized by the power-current flowingthrough the coil 20. Should a motorman when on any section bring his carto rest by throwing the controller 15 so as to cut off thepower-current, it will be obvious that the core 9 would drop and circuitbe opened at the contactor 11 through coil 20, so that the spring 22would be allowed to close contact at 21, and in the absence of somespecial provision to prevent such action the circuit of the battery 32will be completed and the core 9 would be immediately drawn up by theaction of the coil 30, whose circuit would, however, be immediatelybroken by the operation of the rod 23 in engaging the spring 22. Thiswould allow the core to drop again, and the action would be repeated, so

ISO

that there would be a vibratory action of the parts. The power of thebattery 32 would thus be drawn upon to no useful purpose. This draftupon the power of the battery, however, is effectually prevented undersuch conditions by reason of the fact that when the power-controller 15is thrown to cut off the power as just assumed the circuit of thebattery 32 will be also broken by the circuitbreaker contact 51.Inasmuch as the battery 32 is in use but for an instant of time as thecar enters each section, but little power is required and it becomespossible to use open-circuit batteries of the usual type and to obtainlong service from it.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a sectional-contact electricrailway, the combination substantially as described of two lines ofnormally insulated sections of conductor, an automatic electromagneticswitch having a power circuit-coil for holding the switch closed, aninitially-acting coil whose terminals are connected respectively toinsulated conductors of the said lines, a source of current on the carand a double trolley or collector for connecting said source to the saidlines of conductors, and at the same time forming a connection from oneof said lines of conductors to the motor on the car.

2. In a sectional-contact electric railway, an electromagnetic switchhaving a power-circuit coil and an initially-acting coil whose terminalsare normally open-circuited at insulated conductors located respectivelyin two normally insulated lines of sectional conductor, a connectionfrom the power-coil to a conductor in one of said lines of normallyinsulated sectional conductors, and two collecting devices bearingrespectively on said lines of conductors and joined to opposite poles ofa generator on the vehicle, and a motor on the car connected to atrolley or collector bearing on the conductor which is connected to thepower-coil.

3. In a sectional-contact electric railway, the combinationsubstantially as described, of a normally insulated conductor from whichpower-current is taken to the car, a supplemental insulated conductor orcontact rail, an

automatic switch having two coils one of which carries the power-currentwhile the other carries the initially-acting current, connections fromthe two terminals of the latter coil to the power-conductor and asupplemental conductor respectively, a circuit-breaker in the circuit ofsaid coil, means for acting upon the same when the switch is closed, agenerator on the car and a double trolley or collector for connectingthe two poles thereof to said conductors respectively to furnish currentto the initially-acting coil and at the same time to furnish a powerconnection for the powercircuit coil when the switch is closed.

4t. In a sectional-contactelectric railway, a power-circuit closercomprising a number of laminated brushes beveled at their ends and acooperating wedge-shaped contactor adapted to enter the spaces betweensaid beveled ends in a direction parallel to the laminations and by awedging action to separate the same so as to create a series ofindividual contacts.

5. In a switch for a sectional-contact electric railway, the combinationsubstantially as described with the pair of leaf-springs andpower-circuit closer engaging the same, of a circuit breaker mountedabove said leai"- springs and an actuating-rod for said circuitbreakerextending axially through the space between said leaf-springs.

6. The combination with the conductorblocks 13, 13, of the laminatedspring-contacts l2, 12, mounted between them, a circuitcloser 11 adaptedto engage the end of said springs by an endwise motion parallel to thelaminations, a spring 22 and cooperating contact 21 mounted upon butinsulated from the blocks 13, 13, and means connected with thecircuit-closer or contactor 11 for actuating the spring 22.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, this 24th day of February, A. D. 1903.

JOHN H. GUEST.

Witnesses:

J. (irALLWI'LZ, E. L. LAWLER.

